YREKA – “It is important for women to feel a sense of belonging and to see there are others out there going through the same things they are,” said Lindsie Todd of the Yreka Community Resource Center.

Recently, Todd joined with her co-worker Florrine Super to form the center’s first women’s group. The group’s theme is “Journey to a New Beginning,” and it provides women of all ages the opportunity to gather together for support, crafts, learning opportunities and to form friendships. They meet at the center on Fridays from 3-4 p.m.

Todd said Yreka Community Resource Center staff attended a training in Scott Valley where the resource center has offered a women’s group for some time.

“We really wanted to try something like that,” said Todd.

“There is a need for it here,” added Super.

Todd said when the group first formed, there were few attendees but now an average of nine women whose ages range between 18 and 60 attend the weekly group.

Participants enjoy arts and crafts projects, and they recently learned to make scarves from discarded t-shirts. During holidays, they do holiday-themed art projects. Crafters from the Yreka Senior Center attended the group to show the women new knitting and crocheting techniques, said Super.

Todd noted that multiple women in the community have expressed an interest in being guest speakers to provide the group self defense and painting instruction and insight on developing healthy relationships.

Group members have expressed an interest in taking turns sharing knowledge about their own hobbies and projects, and soon, they will make their presentations to one another.

“The ladies want to share their expertise as well,” said Todd. “It is so much fun, and everything that is said during the group is confidential. It is a very comfortable environment.”

Super added that in the near future the group will participate in a cooking class.

Currently, the ladies take turns bringing snacks to share.

Super and Todd stated that they will likely lengthen the meeting time since one hour a week is not long enough to embark on projects.

The Yreka Community Resource Center is at 201 Broadway. For more information about the women’s group, call 842-1313.